UAE issues mission visas for short-term jobs

DUBAI: Expatriates planning to work for a short term or on probation can enter the UAE with a 90-day mission visa.

According to the UAE law, people with visit, transit or tourism visas are not allowed to work or obtain a work permit in the Gulf state.

“We do not have labour permit under the category of probationary [employment] and people who enter the country for visit cannot work at all here,” the paper quoted Humaid Bin Deemas, Acting Director-General of the Ministry of Labour as saying.

People caught working with visit visas will be deported and banned from entering the country forever. The sponsors of companies involved in illegal employment will face a penalty of Dhs 50,000 for each such worker, he added.

However, the sponsoring company can apply for a mission visa at the Ministry of Labour, which also issues a temporary work permit.

The temporary work permit is also issued for those already living in the UAE on residence visas on a case-by-case basis.

"Mission visa is valid for entering the country for 60 days and the employee can stay up to 90 days after entering the UAE. This kind of visa is renewable once for another period of 90 days after which the expatriate holding the mission visa should leave the country," Bin Deemas was quoted as saying.

People who enter the country on mission visas should secure the mission card from Ministry of Labour, Bin Deemas said, adding, people on mission visa can convert it to work permit and continue to work.